Debby’s brain surgery

We’re trying to raise money for my wife Debby’s upcoming brain surgery. 4 years ago, Debby started having dizzy spells. We visited the Urgent Care and a week later, the Emergency Room. Both times, her symptoms weren’t taken seriously and we were sent home.

As time went on, the vertigo gradually, continuously got worse. Finally in 2020, it got bad enough that she saw a Neurologist. He ordered an MRI and a CT scan, both of which came back negative. This week, we found out that the MRI clearly showed a large Acoustic Neuroma, but it went misdiagnosed.

In the last 2 years, the vertigo has continued along with hearing loss (she is now completely deaf in her right ear), facial numbness and loss of taste. After getting another MRI, they discovered a golf ball sized Acoustic Neuroma at the base of her brain pressing against her brain stem.

An Acoustic Nueroma is a non cancerous tumor that forms from the lining of the vestibular nerves that control hearing and balance.

Because of the size and location of the tumor, it needs to be removed. This involves several trips to Tampa, an 8-12 hour surgery followed by 2-3 days in the ICU. A few days in the hospital will follow before she is sent home for 4 weeks of recovery. She will not regain her hearing, and will likely have some permanent facial paralysis and more permanent side effects.

We have insurance, but the surgery is still very expensive. Not to mention the hospital stay, travel expenses and the weeks of work she will be making 25% of her pay on short term disability.

We don’t expect to meet our goal, because we know it’s a lot. But any contribution would be a big help.

Eric